Effectiveness of Multi-Media Content in Social Media Releases

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CHART NOTE:
A social media release is a Web 2.0 version of the traditional press release. The template is formatted for multi-media content that is of particular interest to bloggers and online journalists, but it’s not intended solely for them. It works just as well for engaging traditional media journalists and consumers, and as an effective tactic for search engine optimization. Social media releases aren’t meant to replace traditional press releases. But they can make your effort to disseminate information much easier.

As this chart shows, marketers pick videos as the most effective multi-media content for achieving their social media goals. Video offers business and consumer marketers a way of getting across a visceral experience (driving a sports car) or to quickly explain a complicated or new idea (why one server is more powerful than the competition). Least effective are podcasts/MP3s, which happen to be the only multi-media without the benefit of a visual element. Seeing is believing, apparently, in the social media world.

SMRs are different from traditional press releases because of the multimedia content, embedded links and ability to rip content electronically for whatever purpose. Perhaps you are a reporter writing a blog post for your news organization and you need a headshot or executive video immediately. With the SMR, that media is readily accessible.